F5
by 4AcesofSpades
Summary: Natsu Dragneel can sing and with a few strums of his guitar write a song, but can't write lyrics to save his life. After Loke's womanizing ways breaks the heart of the lyricist, F5 is left with just the music. With the band's adamant refusal to do covers, his manager breathing down his neck, Natsu is left with one choice; "borrow" a stranger's poems.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Fairy Tail manga/anime, everything belongs to the creator Hiro Mashima.**

 **Enjoy the story.**

* * *

There wasn't any booing, but there wasn't any cheering either. The crowd just stood there giving them a bored look as the band continued their set of three songs. Three songs that the crowd was sick of hearing. With the band adamant refusal to do covers, F5 was left playing their original three songs.

Mira sighed as she saw her friends, struggling on stage, everyone was on key and playing great, but the lack of energy and emotion was very obvious. With a forced grin, Natsu continued singing and playing his guitar, Gray had a bored look on his face, but continued singing strumming his guitar, Loke looked like he was falling asleep on the keyboard, Gajeel muttered under his breath as he played the bass guitar, and Mira's boyfriend, the drummer, Laxus, looked pissed.

With the last stroke of his guitar, he flashed the crowd or now lack of, a smile, "Thank you we're F5." Natsu hadn't even put the mic back on the stand, when Laxus trudged off stage.

Seeing her boyfriend approach, she poured a glass of water and placed at his usual spot at the end of the counter. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asks.

"Not right now." He rubs his temples.

"You sounded well." She adds.

He smirks.

"Man F5 use to be good." A guy walks past them.

"The operative word being "use" too." A girl laughs.

Mira notices his smirk fall, before she can even say anything, Laxus downs his glass of water and walks off.

Not even backstage yet and he could already hear his band mates fighting.

"…we're so screwed." Loke runs his fingers through his hair.

"That's what you did to the songwriter, and now she ain't here because you couldn't keep it inside of your pants," Gajeel shoves the keyboard player, and then turns to the front man. "It's been a month and we're still playing the same three songs."

"We could just do cover." Gray adds.

"Hell no." Gajeel retorts. "We said we're only doing covers when we work weddings on weekends as 5 Spades." Dressed in a white tux, with their black bows usually undone the band did weddings on the weekends and played covers. However when they weren't singing at weddings or parties, they vowed not to do covers. "We're a real band, we don't play covers, we write music."

"Yeah right," Laxus snorts. "Like if any of you Neanderthals know how to write a damn song."

"Oh yeah like if you're any better," The frontman shouts. "I have the music I just don't have the lyrics. If anything we should make Loke write the song, considering he screwed us over."

"That idiot can't write for shit," Gajeel cracks his knuckles, "He's worse than you are at writing songs."

"The fire song wasn't so bad." Natsu says under breath, "Alright then we just gotta find someone who can write like poetry and stuff."

"So in other words we're going to be spending a lot of time in Starbucks looking for a lyricist." Gray says sarcastically.

"I could go for coffee." Gray's sarcastic comment flies over his head.

"I was being sarcastic you flaming idiot!" He shouts.

"Perverted stripper."

"Ash for brains."

"Snowflake."

"Fire fart!"

"Hey you two!" Laxus massages his temples. "Shut the hell up you're both giving me a migraine."

"What about Levy?" Natsu suggests. "She's smart. She could write us a song?"

"For the last time Salamander," Gajeel growls. "The shrimp can't write something like that, logical sure, the sky's her limit, but she ain't creative."

"We need to find someone soon." Loke adds.

"Is everything alright?" Erza knocked on the door, garnering their attention immediately. "I thought I heard shouting and came to check on the noise." Though her words seemed simple in tone, Natsu and Gray knew that there was violent intent aimed at them if she knew they were fighting.

"Nope." Natsu and Gray gave her nervous smiles.

"Good because as your manager, I would hate to see conflict between the five of you." She eyed both Gray and Natsu. Erza Scarlett while their friend had self declared herself their manager after not being able to join the band. Her heart leapt at the thought of being on stage once again after her failed stint in a play, prompting her to want to join F5. Unfortunately, for her, they didn't need another member, she didn't play an instrument, and early into her impromptu audition, they found out that their red haired friend could not carry a tune to save her life. "Matters aside, I see that you haven't been able to find a lyricist?" She then glares at Loke.

"She wasn't supposed to come early," He says. "At three is when I am with Mai." As a lady killer Loke had a way with women, all women, but to his misfortune some ladies don't like to share their man with others.

"Which prompted our new rule, no dating the lyricist. Period." Erza directs to Loke.

"She was cute and looked great in a bikini." Loke adds.

In a blink of an eye Erza stood in front of the bespectacled man, and delivered a swift chop to his pressure point, making the lady killer fall face first to the floor. "Now that that nuisance is taken care of I want to hear a plan of action in finding a song writer. Gajeel." Stepping over Loke she comes to stand in front of the pierced man. "Since you are insistent in not doing covers, what will you do ensure this band has a lyricist?"

Gajeel sizes up the red head, "I aint scared of you, red." He snorts. "But I will find us a lyricist. Someone better than the last chick."

"Actions speak more than words," Erza did not back down from his stare.

"I'll turn every rock and visit poetry classes if needs be."

"Very well then." She walks over to Gray and Natsu, "And what will you two be doing?"

"Going to Starbucks," Natsu says as he throws an arm around his "old pal" Gray.

"They're practically in bulk there." He lets out a small laugh.

"And there's coffee and muffins." Natsu adds. And just in case writers aren't at their infamous hangout, he'll have to hope that Erza doesn't see him Google "where to find someone who can write a song?" Waiting for her answer, the pinkette felt a drop of sweat roll from his forehead to his cheek.

"That's cliché, but it works," Erza smiles, she then turns to Laxus giving him a look. He nods acknowledging. "Very well then, I expect immediate results. We will reconvene in three days, till them meeting adjourned."

* * *

Immersed in her own little world, with ear buds in her ears, a pen in hand, and a leather bound notebook, she wrote as fast as her hand could run across the lined paper. Fully immersed in her writing, she didn't notice, a fellow business major and classmate, Max waving his hands in front of her.

"Lucy." He repeats, the blonde continues writing. _This always happens_ , he thinks to himself. He checked his watch, five minutes till class starts. Seeing, as there is no other way to get her attention, he taps her shoulder. Startling the blonde and in the process drops her notebook to the floor. "Sorry." He picks it up and hands it to her.

"Thank you." She says.

"What are you writing this time?" Not surprised considering the blonde is always stuck in her notebook writing something, if he didn't know her well, he wouldn't thought she was an English major with how much she writes.

"Just something." Never one to reveal details of her writing to anyone, she quickly shoves the notebook into the deepest depths of her bag.

"Well we should get going to class, we only have five minutes to get there."

She nods.

With class dismissed earlier than usual, she found herself going to her usual place, the local coffee shop across the Magnolia University Campus. Ordering her usual coffee, she took a seat at the corner booth, put in her ear buds, and began to write.

"I was kidding about the coffee." Gray face palms as he follows his pink haired idiot of a best friend into the coffee shop.

"Hey, yesterday we told the redheaded monster we would find us a lyricist and that's what we're going to do," He grins as the aroma of coffee beans and pastries hit his nose, "Besides the coffee is good here and Levy is working today so she might give us a discount on those big muffins that are as big as your face."

"Whatever," Gray shoves his hands into his pockets. "Just make it fast."

"No way man, I'm going to sit down and eat my muffin." He runs up to the counter, spotting his blue haired friend, he waves. "Levy!"

Many customers look up from their computers and coffee and give the pinkette a weird look.

Levy sighs, "Natsu." She smiles, but places a finger in front of her mouth. "Indoor voices."

"Sorry." He says.

"Hey Levy." Gray waves from behind the pink haired man.

Before Levy could even finish her thought, another bluenette, appears at her side, "Gray!" She smiles, with hearts dancing in her eyes, "My love."

"Juvia." He greets nonchalantly.

"My dearest Gray," She practically throws herself across the counter and hugs him. Gray just stands there with his hands in his pockets, and an uncomfortable look his face. "How are you? Juvia is sorry she couldn't come to your performance last night, Juvia was working a shift, and the mean manager wouldn't let Juvia go. But do not worry darling; Juvia will quit her job—."

"Juvia—."

"But Juvia wants—Juvia must see her ice prince perform," She says in a low. "Juvia has to keep all the rivals away from Gray."

"Stop right there." Gray removes himself from the bluenette's arms. "You don't gotta do that okay."

"But the love rivals," She growls. "No one is going to take Gray away from me."

"Please stop," He face palms. "Just. Just I don't know come whenever you're free or whatever."

She smiles to herself, "Oh my beloved Gray is so kind," She clasps her hands together, "Juvia will always be there for her love."

"Anyways." Natsu snorts. "Levy give me your biggest blueberry muffin you got." His stomach growls. "You know what make that three. Oh and large cup of coffee with three creams, five sugars, and whip cream on the top."

"Like if you aren't hyper enough." Gray scoffs.

"What you say ice princess?"

"I said you're already bouncing off the walls you flaming idiot." He growls.

Rolling up the sleeves on his pullover jacket, the pinkette balls his fists, "What! Them fighting words!"

"I'll give you something to fight about," The now shirtless raven haired man retorted. "Bring it on fire breath!"

"Not here you don't!" A familiar voice, made the two freeze in their spots.

"Erza!" They both squeak. The Titania of Fairy Tail Bar and Grill stood before them, arms crossed in front of her chest, and eyes set on both Gray and Natsu.

"It seems whenever I hear that a fight is about to take place you two are always there, why is that?" She uncrossed her arms to plant her hands on her hips.

Gray swallows hard, "Coincidence."

"Yup," Natsu throws an arm around Gray shoulder. "The good thing though is that you always find the both of us together, right pal?"

"Aye," Gray says. "We would never fight or cause each other harm in anyway because we are best friends."

"That's good," Erza looks between the two suspiciously, but then her features than soften into a small smile. "But even best friends get into bouts here and there."

Levy couldn't help but stifle a laugh, as menacing as Erza is there were many things tended to fly over her head.

"While I am here, I'll have a small coffee, and a slice of your strawberry cake," she says, then turns to her two friends, "and if you two are still here, please free to join me."

"Aye." Gray and Natsu respond in unison.

"Hey fire breather, make sure you get your crap and then we head out." Gray whispers.

Natsu nods, "No way in hell I am spending time with that monster."

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the Fairy Tail gang, A young blonde who was sitting at the corner booth rushed out of the door, leaving her prized notebook behind.

"…Ms. Lucy," Her chauffeur Capricorn opened the door to the town car for her.

"Thank you." She takes her seat in the back.

"I've spoken to your father's secretary on your behalf and according to her; there will be a 15 minute gap in his schedule, enough time for you to see him today." He smiles through the rear view mirrors.

"Thank you." After weeks of trying to schedule an appointment with her own father, word had gotten around the mansion, and everyone was helping to make the meeting with him possible.

"Not a problem, Ms. Lucy," Sensing a little distress from his lady, Capricorn continues. "You know your mother would be proud in seeing what a great girl—woman you've grown up to be. She always did say you look your best when you're smiling. Now, may I ask you question, and feel free not respond if I'm overstepping my boundaries?"

"What is your question?"

"Is something the matter, miss, you seem a little distracted."

"I," She takes a deep breath. "Am nervous to see my father. It's been four years since I moved out of the mansion, and months since I last spoke to him." She balls her fists. "But I've made up my mind," She says with great pride. "I don't want to continue business school or even major in business for that matter. I want to be a writer; I want to major in English. Whichever comes first I want to do something that makes me happy. Money has never been a necessity or on my mind like father's," She sighs. "It's just taken me a little to remember that."

"Then what are you going to do now?" he asks.

"I don't know," She relaxes into her seat. "But I feel like I'll be going on adventure real soon, and nothing is going to stop me."

* * *

As Natsu waited for his muffins, something caught his eye, running up to the corner booth, he found a leather bound notebook. Taking a seat on the comfy cushions, he opened the notebook. First thing he noticed was that it didn't smell like paper, instead it smelled flowery like vanilla or maybe lavender, definitely a girly scent— correction a good girly scent. The second was the writing, the penmanship was great, unlike his friends who wrote like chicken scratch, especially the redheaded beast. Next was the red ribbon sticking from out of the pages, it was a nice color, but it smelled even stronger than the notebook itself, making him smile for some strange reason. Going to the page where the ribbon was holding, he finally read the notebook. Poetry. Good poetry. Poetry that he could actually understand, suck on that Shakespire or spear…guy who wrote that love story about the two kids that die in the end. Point is, the poems he read made sense. Whoever this chick, he assumed by the smell of the ribbon, had some fire in her, with way she expresses distrust towards some guy named Jude.

"This is good." He smiles to himself. This is exactly what he needs, poems like this. Flipping through the pages he finds short stories and even more poems. Jackpot. Before he could even think of shoving it into his jacket, he could already hear Erza in his head telling him "not take things that don't belong to him" followed by Elfman, "Stealing is not manly." He scoffs, "It's not stealing it's borrowing."

"Hey pyro whatcha got there." Gray takes the notebook out of his hands.

"Give it back Gray." The pinkette shoves him.

"Let me see what's inside first," He laughs, "What is this your diary or something." He begins flipping through the pages.

"It's not a diary and it's mine, I found it first so hand it over, stripper."

"Whoa this is good." Gray ignores Natsu's plethora of insults.

"Hand it over ice princess."

Gray looks both ways, cautiously he whispers, "You said you found it right?"

"Yeah so what, give it back to me, I found it—."

Gray covers his mouth, "Will you shut your big mouth already and let me speak, honestly next time I go to the store I need to get you a dog muzzle."

Natsu removes Gray's hand from his mouth, "Whatever."

"Dude." Gray smirks as he tosses Natsu the notebook. "We have the answer to our problems."

"And that would be?" Erza says from behind the both of them.

They both turn around slowly, with such movement, the notebook falls out of Natsu's jacket.

"Crap," Natsu puts his arms in front of himself in a defensive manner, cautiously backing away, "I can explain."

"Oh really because I want to hear what excuse you have for taking something that doesn't belong to you and stuffing it into your jacket like a petty thief?"

Gray stifles a laugh.

"You're his accomplice!" She smacks him on the back of the head, knocking him out with one blow. She then turns her attention back to Natsu. "And now it's your turn."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I was thinking about adding Lucy's talk with her father, but considering it would be like the manga/anime with just a few things added. I decided against. Other than that hope you enjoy the story.**

* * *

Lucy had felt relieved after talking to her father, though they didn't see eye to eye per say, exiting the mansion she was left with bittersweet memories. With one last stop, she kneeled before her mother's gravestone and smiles, "I may not see you, but I know you'll be watching me every step of the way," A tear runs down her fair colored cheek, "I am finally going to find happiness for myself mama."

* * *

He had been hit on the head hard, denied his muffins, kicked out of the coffee shop, and now found himself in his small one bedroom apartment debating whether to eat the only thing in his house, a can of expired baked beans. Maybe if heats up on the stove or microwave it won't be as bad. He wanted to go to Fairy Tail and order his usual, but with no money and a tab of one hundred dollars, he decided against it. He wished he had money to pay off his debt, but unfortunately, he spent it on a new electric guitar and it was worth the ten thousand jewels he spent. A cherry red body with a craftsmanship that would make any guitar enthusiast speechless, the neck was practically custom made for his hand, the strings sung with a simple touch, and a double cutaway. With only one solution, the pinkette popped the can open and hope that he wouldn't die before turning 24. In the mean time, he would play with his new guitar, like a little kid on Christmas day Natsu couldn't stop thinking of his new instrument. A smile starts to form on his face, as he connects his guitar and takes out his phone, and begins to record himself.

"Take 1 of the song that has no lyrics," He says into the phone. Slowly he begins to strum the guitar, feeling the steel strings slide against his fingertips, he begins to hum along with the tune. Closing his eyes, he prayed to whatever deity there was up there to listen to his plea and grant him creativity to write the damn lyrics. Entering the first verse, he begins to sing words, words that were coming to his head. No, words that he remembers hearing or reading. Reading, the notebook. With the words flowing from every direction as he remembered them, he rearranged them to fit with his song. Once done, he opened his eyes once again; he stopped his phone, and sighed. "Let's see what we got."

* * *

"…no." She searches her bag again, "Don't panic, relax." She says to herself. Retracing her steps once again, she knew she left the apartment with her notebook, she then went to class still had her notebook, went to go and see her father still had her notebook, comes home no notebook. Lucy knew for sure that her that she had not taken out her notebook when she was on her way to see her father…the coffee shop. She sat on the edge of her bed in shock. She had left her notebook at the local coffee shop. Her notebook, the place where she would write about her thoughts, her goals, short stories, and even poetry, in other words things that were personal and didn't want anyone else to read. Maybe she could go—no it's ten at night, the shop closes at nine. _Don't panic, I just have to go to the coffee first thing in morning and hope someone didn't throw it away or worse take it._

* * *

Gray was sleeping like any normal human being at three morning, when his phone began to vibrate. Usually he wasn't a light sleeper, but for some reason today seemed to be the exception. With eyes still shut and half asleep, his hand danced along the bedside table's surface, finally reaching the phone. "Hello." He groggily answers.

"Gray!" Natsu shouts with visible excitement in his tone, "I wrote a song!"

"Natsu?" Gray begins to register the voice of the other person on the line.

"Yeah." He continues shouting.

"Lower your voice you moron." He yawns. "What time is it?" He looks at clock on his bedside table, 3:22 AM. _Damn you pyro._

"Don't matter, I wrote a song?"

"If it's another fire song, you can forget—," He was about to hang when his phone vibrated, it read: a new message from Natsu.

"I sent you my recording. Hear it and call me back." He hangs up.

Gray rubs his eyes, opening the message he presses the play button. Thirty seconds into the song, his hands went into his guitar playing position and he strummed along to the song, adding a few notes to match Natsu's rhythmic guitar playing. Maybe it was due to lack of sleep or that it was three in the morning, but Gray could easily say even in it's most simplest form that it was going to be a hit. He reaches for his phone and calls his friend, "I hate that you woke me up at three in the morning," He yawns. "But that was a good song."

"Yeah," Natsu says. "I've been up since ten last night, couldn't go to sleep and just began to play."

"The song is good, but I didn't expect you to be good with words."

"I'm full of surprises." Gray could already see the pink haired idiot smirking on the other line.

The song was good, but the words. Words, like that didn't come natural to the pinkette, and as much as he wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, he couldn't help but feel suspicious. "So how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

He pinches the bridge of his nose, it was like talking to a four year old, "Look Natsu I know your good at writing music, but words ain't your thing so how did you do it?"

He hears Natsu sigh on the line, "The notebook?"

"What notebook?"

"The notebook," He repeats. "The one that got us in trouble with the red headed monster, the one I found on the table. I just remembered some of the things that were written and just went with it."

That made more sense. "Okay."

"And I was thinking of stealing the notebook and get more songs out of there, I mean I already have a lot of songs, all I need are—."

"Whoa," Gray stops him. "Stop. Look Natsu it's a good song, but do you want to steal someone's writing."

"No but—c'mon let's take the book and when we get recognized, someone discovers their poems, we give them credit," He says. "Easy."

 _Of course that idiot thinks it's that simple,_ he thinks to himself, _There has to be a better way._

"It's not stealing, it's borrowing."

"What's the plan?" He sighs.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Uploaded Ch 3 and had some problems, so I'm reuploading right now. If somehow you all managed to read it the first time it was uploaded, good, but if not it here it is. Also I won't be using actual songs for the story as it personally takes me away from the big picture/story. So if any of the lyrics sound "real" it's a coincidence.**

* * *

The plan was simple, with Juvia opening the shop Gray would distract her while Natsu would sneak into the back room and steal—borrow the notebook. It was so simple that even Happy could pull it off, but no the pervy popsicle had to be an idiot and bail on his plan. Couldn't he take one for the team? So like a ninja he would have to get passed Juvia and all the morning customers, then get the notebook. With his scarf wrapped around his face, he entered the shop. Of course being Natsu, being inconspicuous was not his forte. Walking in he bumped into a table spilling coffee on one the customers, apologizing after handing them a few napkins from the dispenser, he knocked a coffee out of someone's hand.

"Natsu, what are you doing?" Evergreen asks, placing her hands on hips.

 _Crap. I've been caught_ , "Good morning." He waves nonchalantly.

"I thought I kicked you out."

"That was yesterday." He walks over to the counter; something catches his eyes, the notebook. It was on the counter, practically staring at him, asking to be opened. "Today is a new day."

She sighs, "As long as you don't yell or break anything you can stay. And take your scarf off your face you're scaring my customers." Her eyes shift to the side to a little girl sitting at table with her mother as she points to him with a scared look on her face.

He nods, no more ninja…for now. Something or someone bumps into him.

"Sorry," A girl says.

Lucy runs past guy with scarf around his face towards the counter. Seeing her notebook on the table, she feels her nerves melt away. _It's here,_ she thinks to herself. "Hi I am Lucy, I called today about a missing notebook." She tells the brunette with glasses.

The brunette hands her notebook, Lucy can't suppress the smile that is beginning to form. "Thank you."

"Your wel—."

"Stop." She hears a man's voice from behind her, she turns around, guy with scarf around his face.

"Can I help you?" Lucy asks as she takes a step back from the pink haired man who was invading her personal space.

"Can I see your notebook?" He extends his hand.

"What?" She presses the notebook against her chest. _What's going on here? Is this some kind of joke?_

"Because I need to complete my song, duh." He says in a tone, like if she were suppose to know his intentions.

"Song?"

He nods enthusiastically, "I read your poems and wrote a song about them."

 _He read my poems…he opened my notebook._ She presses her notebook deeper into her chest, like a mother protecting her infant.

"You write really good," he grins. _Is he hitting on me?_ "It goes great with my music. Like PB and J," He clasps his hands together for emphasis. "Anyways, if I could take quick look at your notebook." He reaches out towards her notebook, but she immediately takes a step back.

"No." She turns around and heads for the door, when he runs in front of her, blocking her exit. "Move out of the way."

"Please very quickly, I just need to finish the rest of my song."

"No."

"C'mon, I'll move only if I get to see the rest," He says. "I memorized half of it I just need the other half."

"Move out of the way." She repeats, trying to keep her composure and not make a scene.

"Please. Just a quick peek and I'll get out of your way," He pleads. "Look my band really needs that song."

She rolls her eyes, this guy was seriously creeping her out.

"Your words helped me complete my song," He says. "They go good together." The pinkette looks away, then turns back to her. "I know it sounds a little crazy," A little crazy, by this point she thought the oddly colored haired man had escaped a psychiatric facility. "I'll show you." He grabs her wrist and drags her back of the shop to where two men were sitting drinking coffee.

Many alerts went off in her head, "Let of me."

"Natsu." The brunette calls his name.

The pink haired man named Natsu ignores the bespectacled woman, "Hey dude could I borrow your guitar?" He points to the case.

The man shrugs, "Okay."

"Thanks."

This was her chance to get away from the pink haired creep.

The pinkette tunes the guitar then begins playing. The soft strums of the guitar keep her there like if her feet were glued to the floor. Calming and soothing are the first things that pop into her mind, he then hits the guitars surface, making a drum like sound. He picks up the pace and begins to sing. His voice a little raspy but still smooth, matching the rhythm of the song, a little upbeat but with a melancholy undertone. He was singing about her time at the mansion with her parents. Where felt happy when her mother was still alive and lonely—abandoned when her father became her only parent. The upbeat representing her mother while the undertone her father. In lack for better words at the moment, it was the tone that she was going for when she wrote the three page poem about her parents. Before she even realized, a tear escapes.

"…don't leave me alone." He sings. "Cuz I don't know where to go." He hits the last note and smiles. "I changed the last word to make it flow, but other than that I used your—hey you okay?"

"Huh?" She quickly wipes her eyes. The song had finished, but it kept replaying in her head, making her feel naked—vulnerable.

"Are you crying?"

 _Insensitive jerk._ "No." She remembers writing "Alone" because she needed to vent, to express herself in that moment and hopefully never look back again, because she knew feeling like that—this would eat her up for days. Yet hearing the pink haired stranger sing her poem, made her feel like a weight that she didn't know she was caring was lifted off shoulders. Like a bandage yanked off a healed cut, stinging for a second but the pain quickly subsiding.

 _"A writer,"Her father scoffs. "You're a Heartfelia, a young woman who has been groomed since birth to be more than a commoner, an heiress. You should be—will continue your studies in business, so one day you will marry well and inherit the company with a spouse of my choosing. You will give birth to a son, ensuring this company's well being. Therefore Lucy ,you will not neglect what has been instilled in you since day one."_

 _"But father—."_

 _"Money,"He folds his hands across the table. "How much money do you want?"_

 _"Excuse me?"She asks._

 _"How much money do you want so you can get this nonsense out of your head?"He says. "I've heard of teenagers becoming rebellious against their parents, but it seems you're entering that mind set at this very moment. After all for his 30_ _th_ _birthday Sawarr asked his father for yacht and in exchange he would wed." She had heard of the pudgy wannabe playboy and his will of not to wed until he turned forty. Sure most women didn't find Sawarr esthetically pleasing, yet his money was another thing. "So how much money do you need? A summer wardrobe perhaps or a car?_

 _"What I want isn't money, pretty dresses, or fortune forced upon me," She says in a low voice. "Because money won't buy me happiness father."_

Handing the guitar back to its owner Natsu grins, "I know I came off as a little crazy," " **Little** being the operative word. "but I'm just a guy who really, really needs this song." He says. "I am Natsu Dragneel, I'm in a band called F5, we play at Fairy Tail."

She's heard of the band, performing on Friday nights at Fairy Tail a local hangout for people of all ages but mostly popular amongst the college crowd. According to many people, F5 was a good band with people claiming that they were going to be the next thing, even winning the battle of the bands last year, but recently their music and performance were weak

"It probably doesn't mean much but I actually understand your poetry. It's not confusing and I actually like which was why I was going to st—borrow it," He quickly catches himself.

"So can you please let me finish our song?"

"Our song?" She squeaks.

He nods, "I can't take credit for the lyrics, besides," He scratches the back of his neck, "the guys wouldn't believe me anyways. You're writing is too good for—."

"Natsu." The brunette walks towards them with a scowl on her face and then whispers something into the his ear. Natsu face turns bright red and looks around the shop. People were staring at them; some even had their phones out.

"I should…." He doesn't even finish when he's already out of the door.

 _Our song._ On pure impulse, she runs out of the coffee shop. Winding flowing in her face, heels clacking against the pavement, cars honking, she crosses the street and find's the musician sitting on a bench, with his head in his hands.

"You." He looks up from his hands.

She nods.

"Are you…." He grins.

Maybe it was the way he was grinning at her, but for some strange reason she felt a familiar warmth beginning to set in her chest that she hadn't felt for years, she hands him her most precious item.

The pink haired jump up from his seat and hugs her, "Thank you." He says into her hair.

* * *

Lucy means light, fitting because she's definitely his light at the end of the tunnel. With a smile matching her namesake, they began to talk. Natsu found it cool how easy it was to talk to her, and in small time of knowing her…aka today, he could easily say that Lucy was a friend of his.

"… we're not playing this week," After the last performance Laxus and Gajeel said that they weren't going to go on stage until they fixed their problem. "But we're performing at a wedding." _Maybe if she sees us how awesome we are I could convince her to become our lyricist…._ "you should come and check us out?"

"At the wedding?" she asks.

He nods. "You should come it's gonna be fun and I could bring you as a plus one or something like that."

Her cheeks turn bright red.

 _Maybe it's the sun,_ he thinks to himself. "The music will be good and we usually get cake at the end of performance." He knew Erza would be there for sure, not only as their manager but also as a cake enthusiast…that might explain why she usually books them for weddings. "What do you say, Luce?"

"Luce?" She asks.

"C'mon, you don't even have to bring a gift," Not that he ever did anyway. "I want you to be there."

And with those five simple words is how she found herself heading to a wedding in a white van that Saturday morning. Entering said van she saw the other members of the band, a red head who she presumed to be the monster Erza driving the van. She was not how Natsu describe her to be; instead, she was beautiful with long red hair and a small smile that exuded confidence. She and Erza seemed like the only two dressed for a wedding, unlike the band who was dressed in regular clothing, one of them was even shirtless, while another wore a black muscle tank top.

"Hello I am Erza." She smiles.

"Lucy." She smiles back. Next to Erza in the passenger seat was a blonde who had a bored look on his face as he stared out of the window, that must be Laxus. In the first row of the van sat Natsu with a sick look on his face, by the way he was sweating, and pale looking, he probably was sick.

"Are you okay?" She asks.

"He gets car sick." A shirtless man with jet-black hair responds. That must be Gray the stripper, according to Natsu the guy had a tendency to take off his clothes. She was going to stay far from him. In the back row sat a heavily pierced man, metal face, Gajeel. Next to him was the playboy Loke. Though Natsu's description of his band mates were exaggerated, there was seemed to be some underlying truth.

"Princess." Loke smiles.

"Loke." During her freshman year at M. U (Magnolia University) they had English together and Loke made it his personal goal to hit on her every single day. Since then she hadn't seen the lady killer, until today.

"You know you look even better than you did four years ago," he adjusts his glasses. "It's feels like I'm falling for you all over again." Well that made up her mind quick. If she wants to get through this day she was going to take her chance sitting in between car sick Natsu and the shirtless man.

Arriving at their destination, Natsu was the first one out their seats, practically shoving her and Gray out of the way, as he opened the door. Once on the ground, Natsu let out a victory cry of sort and kneels, "I love you sweet, sweet ground." He kisses the ground. "I am never going to go in car again."

"Idiot." Gray says under his breath, but loud enough that everyone can hear.

"What'd you say stripper?" Natsu stepped back into the car.

"I called you a flaming moron," Gray retorts, invading Lucy's personal face. "You moron."

"You want my fist in your face droopy eyes?" Natsu spits as her also invades her personal space.

"Keep spitting on me and I'll shove my foot up your ass, fire fart."

"Will you two stop fighting?" Erza turns and glares at them.

"Yes ma'am." They say in frightful unison.

"And Gray put on some clothes?"

"Shit." He's only dressed in his boxers.

"Are you three done with you lame comedy routine," The man named Laxus scoffs. "Cuz you're pissing me off."

"So I saw that a song was recently added on to the set list," Loke changes the subject. "What's with that?"

"The bride called yesterday night requesting that we add that song to our set list. Apparently it's her favorite and the wedding won't happen unless it's played," Erza states. "Though if you ask me I don't believe it is a appropriate song for the occasion."

"I like that song," Natsu then turns to Lucy, "It's kind of the inspiration behind my fire song."

"Your fire song was based off a cheesy one hit wonder 80's pop song," Gajeel pops his head between the pinkette and the blonde, resting his head on his arms, he lets out a small chuckle. "No wonder it sucked Salamander."

"Fire song?" Lucy inquires.

"It was my octopus to fire." Natsu grins.

"He means opus." Gray corrects. "And it sucked."

"No it didn't." Natsu pouts.

Gray rolls his eyes and deadpans, "Fire, fire, fire, you are my fire, fire, fire the one I desire, desire, desire," He continues. "You are my fire, fire, fire….and it goes on for another three minutes."

"And since then we haven't let Natsu write our lyrics." Loke adds.

"Shut up," Natsu retorts. "It's your fault for messing with our lyricist."

"Well—."

"Everyone back into the car, it seems that I made a mistake." Erza orders. "Our destination is ten minutes from here."

The smile and vibrant energy left Natsu's body as he trudged back into the band. He didn't even sit down, when Erza stepped on the gas, making the pink haired front man fall onto Lucy and Gray.

"I am going to be sick." He croaks.

"Get off me fire breather." Gray shoves him to the ground.

Gajeel chuckles in a low voice, "Salamander is pathetic."

"Girl's won't like you if you keep tossing your cookies in front of them Natsu." Loke adds.

"Will you knock it off," Laxus turns on his side, takes his headphones off and looks at his band mates. "If you all don't shut up for the next ten minutes, I will go back there and shove my foot up your asses."

All the boys piped down. _I didn't know Laxus was this intimidating._ She then made the mistake of looking at the rearview mirror. The boys weren't afraid of Laxus, but at the red head who was sending each one of them a deadly glare through the rearview mirror. _On second thought, Erza's the scariest._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Recently I found out how to fix my grammar and spelling errors..., and I might have added a detail or two. For the past weeks I thought that my corrections were already being made public, but alas it wasn't. Point is it's fixed. If by any chance their still are some mistakes, I am sorry. Other than that enjoy. 7/3/17**

* * *

With the sunning shining bright over Magnolia, the reception a small and intimate affair with no more than fifty including the band itself, was held outside a private venue on a cliff, overlooking the town. Lucy hadn't been too many weddings herself, but the one's that she had attended were big with over four hundred on the guest list and very luxurious. Usually held in a mansion, with servers working the floors with a serving platter with the best sustenance Fiore could offer, from truffles with small flecks of gold to imported caviar from Hargeon Port. Guests would arrive in limousines and while other's on their private helicopters. Yet, if anyone were to ask her which she preferred she would respond, "small and intimate" as opposed to inviting the duke's second cousin who is married to the king's nephew and owns a vineyard somewhere in Crocus. Mind you, she has never met that person; but her father would invite them just to see if he could make them a potential backer for the railways.

"Wedding cakes are the best, don't you agree," She heard a familiar voice next to her. Erza takes the seat in front of her. The red head barely sits down when she's already putting a fork full of cake into her mouth. "The strawberry cream is very well made." She smiles, "So Lucy, Natsu tells me you have a way with words."

Not knowing how to respond, she nods, "I suppose so."

Erza waves her hand in front of her, "Don't be too modest, Natsu sent me a recording of "Alone" and I must say I was very impressed in the way you express your emotions so vividly, raw," She continues. "It sounds like it came from somewhere very personal."

 _Well it did come from my notebook,_ she thinks to herself.

"Either way I am glad that you were able to share your lyrics with the band."

"Lyrics." She says under her breath. _Not poem, but lyrics._

"Yes lyrics," She repeats. "Was that not the intention?"

"Not exactly."

Erza raises an eyebrow, sending a chill down Lucy's spine, she looks at Natsu who is setting up the microphone to his height. He looks up from the mic and their eyes meet, he grins and waves at her.

"What did Natsu do?" She asks, her tone turning serious.

Not being able lie to the red head, the blonde sings like a canary. She sighs, "…he was doing it for his band. But I personally gave it to him so—."

"That fool," Erza growls. "I thought I told him not to take others belongings."

"There's no—"

"I am sorry for the damaged that he has caused you." Erza crosses her arms, "But do not fear I will go and teach Natsu a lesson about not taking things that don't belong to him." A dark aura emanating from her that very second.

 _Sorry Natsu._

"She looks good in that dress." Loke puts a hand on Natsu's shoulder, as he looks at the blonde sitting in the back table. "Now I'm never one to question the presence of a gorgeous woman, but how'd you do it Natsu?'

"Do what?" He asks.

"Get Lucy to be your date."

Natsu adjusts the mic, "What?" He says incredulously, "Lucy's not my date." The mic picks up his voice, blasting his voice into all the speakers. He immediately notices the crowd, giving him a weird look. His eyes land on Lucy, who is beet red and fanning herself hoping to look nonchalant.

"Smooth." Gray takes his spot near the front man.

Natsu clears his throat. Tapping the mic, "Guess it works." He says into the microphone. "So umm now that, that is taken care of I am Natsu Dragneel and we're the 5 Spades." He looks to his band mates. Gajeel lets out a low chuckle; Loke gives him a sarcastic smile and a thumbs up, while Gray stands there feeling second hand embarrassment for the idiot. _Coal for brains._

Laxus rolls his eyes and nods; he picks up his drumsticks. "One, two, three." He taps.

Gajeel strums his bass guitar with fingers skating along the fret board, playing the intro. Laxus joins in with a hit to kick drum, followed by Loke who's fingers dance along the key board. Natsu and Gray exchange small smiles and begin to the play. Natsu begins to sway from side to side, hand firmly placed on the microphone, he sings. For a song that is supposed to be cheesy 80's one hit, the band makes it work. Rather than playing it as a pop song, the 5 Spades cover it as a slow song for the bride and groom's first dance. From far away Natsu could see Lucy and Erza in the back table taping their fingers on the table, Natsu can't help but to grin as he continues singing.

"They're really good." Lucy smiles.

Erza nods, "Natsu may be impulsive, loud, and immature, but he is a real performer."

Lucy couldn't agree more.

"It's a good start," Erza comments. "However the real show is to begin."

After the first dance is over, Natsu get's this confident look on his face. He's not the only one, the rest of band have the same look on their, even Laxus he is known to be stoic for the most part, is grinning. Laxus twirls the drumsticks between his fingers and begins to play, his arms moving at lightning speed as he hits the drums. Loke stops the playing the keyboard and reaches down for something, a keytar. He joins the three men at the front. The three, Gray, Gajeel, and Loke begin to play. Gray and Loke go back to back, as Gajeel begins to shred it on the bass. Natsu sides steps, passes the mic stand between his legs, bringing it up back up.

"The 5 Spades are good," Erza adds. "But F5 is great."

She could actually see that being the case, the 5 spades had an energy like no other, but the other day that she saw Natsu just playing by himself as part of F5 there was a different kind of energy—presence, which Lucy who's good with words couldn't describe. There was no doubt that F5 was the superior band, with just a guitar and Natsu singing, it had left its mark with the blonde.

Erza then turn towards her and folds her hands on top of the table, "I am frank person and as such I will cut to the chase, as you already know we are in need of a lyricist."

Lucy nods.

"The demo that Natsu made has resonated with me in the seconds that I've heard the song, which leads me to this, Lucy how, would like to be the new lyricist for F5?"

She freezes on the spot. _A lyrist? A writer, yes. Publishing and writing stories in the future, definitely. But a lyricist?_ She didn't even consider herself a poet, she did that to blow off steam.

"Lucy." Erza's tone softens. "Anyone can write, essays, research papers and so on, but only a few could make art out of their writing and I believe that's what you are. In your most simplest form you're an artist. You may not sing, act, paint, but you are an artist. I know someone who is an encyclopedia of knowledge, she could practically write her own if she wishes so, but she doesn't have what you and that's art. Your purpose was not to write a song, but to express your feelings, yet can't you say that music is the same."

"I don't know," She knew the structure of poetry but to convert it into lyrics she felt like a fish out of water. "Honestly Erza, I consider myself more of a writer than a poet."

"Nevertheless you do write poetry, do you not?"

She nods, "I do, but only as a pass time, more like something I use to clear my head."

"Well if this you merely clearing your head, I would be more interested in reading what you actually intend to write," Erza smiles. "Don't answer just yet, please take time to consider the proposition."

"Okay."

* * *

 _Good money. I'll have enough for the rent and enough for groceries. Tonight we eat like kings._ On the other side of the door he could already hear laughter. He knocks on the door.

"I'll get it." He hears the voice of a little boy.

"Yo." He greets.

"Uncle Natsu!" The blonde seven-year-old jumps into his arms.

"Larcade." Natsu hugs his nephew back.

"Mom. Mom! Uncle Natsu is here." The boy smiles.

Another little boy pops his head out of the door. "Uncle Natsu." August tackles his uncle onto the floor.

"Let's wrestle." The blonde haired boys shout in unison. Larcade climbs on to Natsu's chest "pinning" him to the ground.

"Boys." Mavis leans against the doorframe. "No wrestling in the hallway."

"Hey Mavis." He greets from under the boys.

"Natsu." She stifles a laugh.

"Boys let's take this inside of the house." He dusts himself off. August jumps on his back holding on by wrapping his arms around Natsu's neck, while Larcade grabs onto a leg.

"To the living room." August orders.

"Aye sir." Natsu grins.

"I see you played another wedding?"

Natsu looks down at himself still dressed in a white tuxedo, "Yeah it was pretty good, but the pay was better, we didn't have any money cut from our check." How was he suppose to know that ice sculptures are so delicate? But the worst part was when the bride tackled him and started throwing punches at him for ruining her masterpiece. It took Erza, Laxus, and the groom to pry the bride off the pink haired front man.

"That's good." Mavis sets an extra plate on the table for him.

"Quick time out boys," He tosses them on the couch, and runs towards the small dining room. "Whoa Mavis step away from the table."

"Natsu?"

"We're celebrating," He smiles. "Go and get your purse, I'm taking you and the boys out to eat."

"Where?" Larcade asks.

"Wherever you guys want?"

"Let's go to that place we saw on t.v," Larcade says.

"Oh yeah the one with the pizza and the games," August adds. "The Red Pizza Planet. Yeah let's go there."

"Let's go." Natsu grins.

The Red Pizza Planet is a family entertainment center known for having an arcade, laser tag, bowling, and a giant indoor jungle where children go and play inside multi-colored tubes and slide down slides for hours, however, it's infamously known for their pizza also known as the Red Planet. A 16 inch pizza pie made with the best dough, a sauce made out of real tomatoes where the small chunks are still visible, pepperoni and sausages covering the entire surface, finally topped off with the hottest chili pepper Magnolia had produced, the Dragon seed.

"We have to get the Red Planet." Natsu ruffles the boy's hair.

"No." The three say in unison.

While Natsu Dragneel could handle the Dragon seed, most "normal" people would far away from it due to its intensity. According to some scientists, side effects we're not pleasant, from dehydration to indigestion and so on.

"Fine," He pouts. "but I'm going to ask for dragon seeds on the side."

"I still don't understand how you can stand those." Mavis lets out a small laugh.

"One kid at school says that his friend's neighbor dad ate a dragon seed and had a heart attack." Larcade dramatically presses his hands to his chest.

Mavis shakes her head, "That's not possible…I think." She says to herself.

Leaving their pizza crusts behind the two boys race towards the jungle gym leaving the two adults behind to talk.

"They seem happy." He takes a bite out of his pizza as he keeps an eye on the boys.

"You're spoiling them." Mavis playfully rolls her eyes.

"I'm the cool uncle."

She nods, "But you didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to." He says with a mouthful of pizza.

"We could've ordered pizza at home," She says. "We could've saved thirty seven jewels, which would've been enough to feed Happy and Carla, their tuna and salmon. Not to mention you could've paid off your tab at Fairy Tail."

Natsu swallows hard, bad move on his part considering the owner of said restaurant is sitting in front of him. "Yeah," He gives her a nervous smile. "I'll pay it off soon."

"Good," She sighs. "Still you didn't have to do this Natsu."

"That's what family is for." he relaxes into his seat.

"You have two jobs and you play at weddings on the weekends," She takes a sip from her water. "You take care of Wendy."

"She's family," He says. Wendy, he didn't realize he would miss his cousin so much after she went off to a science camp for four weeks, on the plus side she would be returning home tomorrow. "But you guys are too. You're my sister, wife to my brother, mother to my nephews, how can I not want to spend on you guys."

"Natsu," She says in a small voice. "Thank you." Ever since Zeref's passing six years ago, things had been rough for the owner of Fairy Tail. For starters, the house that she and her family lived in for ten years had been sold to the bank in exchange for money to pay for Zeref's treatment. After that, she had no choice but to sell Fairy Tail, luckily for her, Makarov Dreyar was there. Yet it didn't matter how much they spent on treatment for her husband's condition, in the end it wasn't enough to save him. Through thick and thin, Fairy Tail was there for her, but most of all was her brother in-law, Natsu. He visits the boys almost every day, he got another job just to help her get stable, and still at the end of each month, he gives her a couple hundred jewels.

"Don't mention it."

Sensing that he was adamant on his final answer, she changed the topic. "So how's the search for the lyricist going?"

"We found her," He grins. "Her name's Lucy."

"Is she good?"

"She's great. She's funny and very smart, and a little weird, but that's what makes her fun to be around. "

She questions with an all knowing smirk. "I was asking if she is a good writer."

He doesn't think it over twice when he answers, "Definitely."

"Interesting," She continues smirking. "How you mentioned her qualities first."

"I guess." He shrugs.

"I was asking about her writing skills," She says. Knowing Natsu, he didn't have the slightest clue to what she was insinuating. _Mira will enjoy hearing about this._

"She's awesome. Here listen to this." He hands her his phone and plays the song for her. "It's a demo that I made for the guys."

Hearing the soft strums of the guitar, she feels her heart starting to beat fast, taking her back to the time she met her husband. It was a summer day, she had barely returned from visiting her friend's grave, when she saw two boys playing guitar. One was an older boy with jet-black hair, with a black guitar on his lap, the other a younger looking boy with a fascinated look on his face as he watched the older boy play.

 _"Whoa." The pink haired boy stares with awe. "Zeref, I want to play just like you. Teach me, okay."_

 _She couldn't help but also be fascinated by the boy with the guitar._

 _"Alright." he smiles._

"…don't leave me alone." He sings. "Cuz I don't know where to go."

With that last note, she's brought back to the present. Her heart pounding in her chest, hands tightly clenched, tears streaming down her face.

"You okay." He places a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine." She says.

"You sure?" He asks.

Mavis nods and lets out a small laugh, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for not updating for two weeks, I would like to say something important happened to me and I wasn't able to update, but honestly not that interesting. Just been stuck with homework. Any ways just want to say thanks for your comments, favorites, and follows. Really motivate me to continue the story and update ASAP. Lastly, we made it to the 5th Chapter. :)**

* * *

After a long day of practicing with the band, Natsu was tired. The poem Lucy wrote, which he named "Alone" was a hit amongst his band mates, but the problem was trying to get the others to add in their parts without screwing up his composition. Things then took a toll for the worst when resident playboy Loke couldn't find a way to smoothly transition from one note to the other.

 _"That sounds too force,"Natsu looks at his sheet music. "Try something else, like going down a scale."_

 _"This isn't working," Loke hits the key creating an awful sound. "Let's take a five."_

 _"We just started," Natsu turns towards his band mate."Start from the top."_

 _"The beginning isn't the problem Natsu," He groans. "It's the chorus there's something missing; besides we've been at this for three hours now."_

 _"He has a point Natsu," Erza adds. "A true wari— musician knows when to take a break. After all you don't want to over exert yourselves. Everyone take a five."_

 _"Nah," He says."All of you pansies could take a break, I'm going to continue practicing." I'm going to be the best._

Sitting on his bed, aka the foldable queen sized futon in the living room, which also serves as his bedroom, he takes off his shirt and pants, tossing it to the side of his bed. Something, hits the floor hard. Lying down he guides his hand towards the sound. His hand then hit's something solid but yet soft…like leather. He brings up the foreign object to his face, his wallet. He opens his wallet and a smile forms on his face. He takes something out of the slots, a picture of him and his family all sitting at the local park after their high school graduation. Zeref with his arm around Mavis's waist, the twin boys in each of their mother's arms. Next to her is Natsu dressed in his cap and gown, beside him is his cousin Gajeel with his hair pulled back into a ponytail also dressed in a similar cap and gown, and finally in between the two, Wendy. He turns the picture around.

 **Natsu's list of things that I am going to do when F5 becomes rich and famous**

1\. Find Igneel and Grandeeney

2\. Perform and stay at Akane Resort

3\. Win an Award at GMG (Grand Music Gala awards show) held in Crocus

4\. Buy a mansion (so that Mavis and the twins, all of us live together)

5\. Pay for Wendy to go to college

6\. Pay for Wendy's medical school

7\. Take Mavis to visit family on Tenrou

8\. Pay Laxus and Gajeel to do a Happy impression

He practiced, wished, bled, and lived through the turmoil he and his family have gone through in order to see those things become a reality. Just thinking about the slight chance of his wishes coming true gave him hope. If he practices he gets better, better means recognition, recognition means money, money equals everything on the list becoming a reality.

"I'm going to…." He falls asleep.

It was five in the morning when Natsu's alarm blared for sixth time that day. He's suppose to go to work in ten minutes, but his body is not responding, and quite frankly neither was he. As a baker, he had to be up bright and early in order to bake the treats. Mind you, these aren't regular treats, Natsu works as a pet treats baker. And to his dismay none of his cats like normal cat food or treats. He didn't understand why he had to wake up so early when he wasn't a "normal," baker but Magnolia's "Pet Perks" needed him and he needed money.

"Salamander." Someone pounds on the door, Gajeel to be exact, because he works at Pet Perks as a baker alongside Natsu. "Get up."

"Shuddup." He slurs.

"I ain't gonna repeat myself," He continues pounding the door. "Fine take a cut from your pay, I'm leaving without ya."

Something climbs on his chest, he feels something soft on his face. Natsu opens an eye; Happy is pawing at his face. The blue furred feline tilts its head to the side. Natsu groans as he sits up.

"I'm getting up," He tells his cat. "I know I have to get go get your fish."

Happy purrs.

"Yes it will be fresh, not the frozen stuff."

Happy paws at his wrist.

Natsu groans, "It was only one time that I fed you actual cat food. I know how much you and Carla hate it, so I won't ever buy it again, promise." That day he had been short on cash and naturally he bought catnip for the cats. The result was not pretty; Happy pushed his bowl aside while Carla scratched his arm for even putting the cursed thing in front of her.

Happy smiles.

"Yeah I'll make sure to get one for her too." Mentioning the other cat, Happy jumped off the bed and ran off into Wendy's room.

* * *

Lucy dropped her head on to her desk, the pen in her hand had rolled off the tips of her fingers and on to the floor with a soft _thud,_ currently she was suffering from something heinous…writer's block. Three days since she's written anything, three days since she hasn't seen her favorite characters the runaway princess and the dragon, three days since the creative side of her brain decided to take the weekend off.

"I hate this Plue," She says to her English Crème Golden Retriever. "I think this is the longest that I've gone without writing in years. I really need to do something about this," Plue runs off towards the direction of her room, he comes back with his red leash between his teeth. "That's a good idea." She pets him. "A walk will surely clear my head." Pulling her hair up into a high ponytail and dressed in a loose fitting pink t-shirt and yoga pants she deemed herself ready to go out for a nice stroll around Magnolia. Grabbing her keys, wallet, and her go to notebook, she goes out.

"Cuz I don't know where to go, so please don't leave me all alone," She sings under her breath. "I just need someone by my side, to go along with me on this ride." _Alone._ Unlocking the screen on her phone, she goes to her messages. _Here we go._ She presses play.

"This is a demo of a new song called, Alone." Natsu says. "Lyrics written by Lucy…crap I didn't get her last name…huh, anyways, music composition by Natsu Dragneel," She stifles a small laugh. The soft strums of the guitar string make her feel warm, like if being covered by soft and warm blankets on a cold winter's night. "You can't spell alone without a "one," feel the emptiness inside a room. So many people walking by, but there's no one on your side…"

"Cuz I don't where to go, so please don't leave me all alone," She sings along. "I just need someone by my side, to go along with me on this ride." _I'm not a lyricist. I only write poetry to blow off steam. I do know how to play the piano. After all father did constantly remind me that aside from my studies and looks, my other strength was the piano. This could be fun._ "But I'm not a lyricist."

Plue tilts his head to the side.

"I'm talking to myself again Plue sorry," She pets him. "Let's continue."

* * *

Natsu checks his watch, _almost time._ Any second Wendy would walk through the door and like a good cousin; he prepared a meal… well he more like bought it from her favorite restaurant 8 Island, but it's the thought that counts. Taking out the napkins from the paper bag and folding them into triangles, he put the final touches to the meal.

"…thank you for the ride Sherry," He could hear her voice from outside. "Bye Chelia." He hears keys jingling; the door knob begins to turn. Natsu dashes towards the sofa and sits coolly as he waits for his cousin to make her way in.

"Wendy!" The girl barely makes it past the doorframe, when he picks her up in a semi-bone crushing hug. So much for acting cool.

"Natsu," She squeaks. Mind you a semi-bone crushing hug from the pink haired man is a full on bone crushing hug for the twelve year old and her small frame. "Nice to see you too...but you're crushing me."

"Sorry," He releases on his hold. "It's nice to have back home," He ruffles her hair. "How was science camp?"

"It was great, we made volcanoes, set off rockets, and I brought home a potato clock," She smiles. "But the best part was health; we learned to do first aid and how to use an AED, so now I'm certified for the next two years." Something that comes in handy when Natsu begins to choke on his food after stuffing his face and not chewing.

"Good," He grins. "Well I got us some food."

"Okay let me just put my stuff in my room and say hi to Carla."

* * *

Inspiration, creativity the fuel behind her writing as her pencil skates along the paper. Foot tapping with music in her ears. "…I believe in fairy tales, the only thing I know. About romance, a castle, a prince, a love that'll never go." She drops her pencil. Heart beating in her ears along with the music. She turns the pages to the beginning of her poem. Her eyes follow every line, every emotion behind each word placed on the page. "Could you sing to this?" _Sing?_ She slides her notebook away from her. "That's not my intention. I am writer not a lyricist." _But this could be fun. As nice as it sounds I'm not a lyricist. However, I do write poetry and aren't lyrics essentially poems?_

 _"Nevertheless you do write poetry, do you not?"_ She remembers Erza's words.

 _She nods, "I do, but only as a pass time, more like something I use to clear my head."_

"It's just to clear my head." She repeats. "I write stories." _Yet I can't seem to write my story because of this writers block._ Which ultimately lead her to writing a poem in the first place. _They do say that in order to get rid of said writer's block you should write anything that comes to mind in order to clear your head._ She opens her notebook, flipping through the pages, her fingers stop running till she finds what she's been looking for.

* * *

The drummer hits the crash cymbal; the base player strums his final note along with keyboardist. "Cuz I'm all alone." Natsu croons to Gray's last strum of the guitar. Sweat runs down the front man's forehead to his chin, hand still clenched around the mic, he lets out a deep breath.

Erza claps, "Good work everyone."

Mira adjusts the lights back to normal in the room, "You all sounded amazing." She smiles.

Gray ruffles Natsu hair, while Loke pats him on the back, "That was really good man."

"You guys did really great," Wendy adds. Happy meows from her lap. "Happy agrees."

"You're previous work was good," Lisanna gives them a thumbs up. "But the music and the lyrics were great. I really like the song and I bet everyone will to when you guys perform." She says.

"Well it's all thanks to Lucy." He grins.

"Lucy?" She asks.

"She's the one that wrote the song." Gray says as he takes off his shirt.

"She's a good lyricist." Erza adds.

"It's actually a poem that I turned into lyrics," Natsu grins. "I just changed like a word or two to make it flow, you know make it fit with the music. I mean you can't really rhyme much with the word "me," so I replaced it with labyrinth, now that's easier to rhyme with."

Gray face palms. "Idiot."

"She." Erza suggests.

"He." Lisanna adds.

"Bikini." Loke smirks.

"Lazy." Gajeel chuckles.

"Colonoscopy." Mira smiles. They all turn to the silver haired beauty. "I'm taking Laxus's grandfather to his colonoscopy appointment tomorrow." They all cringe.

"Anyways." Loke smiles. " Lucy's a blonde with a great body. Bust 91cm; waist 59cm; and hip 88cm."

"Why am I not surprised you know that Loke." Lisanna rolls her eyes.

Ignoring her comment the bespectacled man continues, "Curves. She's got it all and I would like to get my hands on—."

A dark aura appears behind him.

He quickly clears his throat, "Get my hands on her personality. She has a great personality." He says.

"Nice save." Gajeel chuckles.

"Anyways, where is the lyricist?" Mira asks. "Usually when you do a test screening with us your lyricist should always be present."

"It's a work in progress." Erza smiles.

* * *

Lucy had barely lied down on her bed when her phone vibrated. A message…from Erza? She opens the message titled, "Final Cut." Curious she presses play.

* * *

Natsu sang and played softly as Wendy soundlessly slept on the bed next to him. "…you're my fire, fire, fire, my one desire, desire, desire." His phone vibrates. _Message at 11:34pm. Lucy._

He opens the message and instantly grins, "Well I'm all fired up now."


End file.
